


Nitori Builds A Lightsaber And Falls In Love

by GooeyHeat



Category: Touhou Project
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-20
Updated: 2019-11-22
Packaged: 2020-10-24 23:24:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20714282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GooeyHeat/pseuds/GooeyHeat
Summary: In an attempt to get the most out of a new invention, an intrepid kappa visits the Netherworld's gardener to learn the ways of the blade. Things go a bit differently than either of them expect.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, here's a ship that I don't think anyone's ever come up with before. Honestly I only came up with it because I like both characters and thought they could be cute together, but the more I thought about it the more I realized there might be something there that could work. We'll see if I was right!

The spring sun sparkled as it reflected off of the morning dew in the Netherworld. The cherry blossoms around the ghost shrine, Hakugyokurou, had begun to bloom en masse, which meant another of the famous Netherworld spring parties was imminent.

And, of course, an upcoming Netherworld party meant Youmu Konpaku, Hakugyokurou's half-human, half-phantom gardener, was hard at work.

Youmu spent the morning sweeping the main path to the shrine's entrance. She'd likely have to do the same the next morning, but it would only be a tougher job if she let all the petals from today pile up. Besides, her master, Yuyuko Saigyouji, asked her to do it, and that was as good a reason as any.

She swept and she swept as she traveled the long path between Hakugyokurou and the Barrier of Life & Death, where the Netherworld connected to the land of the living. The barrier was supposed to be impassable, but ever since an incident a number of years ago it had been weakened, allowing anybody to enter as long as they were willing to make the flight. Yuyuko's friend, Yukari Yakumo, was supposed to have repaired the barrier a long time ago, but she never got around to it. It did allow Yuyuko to invite a few guests from the rest of Gensokyo to parties easily, at least, which Youmu appreciated; she always found it a little unsettling to be surrounded by nothing but ghosts.

Youmu continued her sweeping as she neared the large gate at the barrier, but stopped as she heard a strange buzzing noise. She froze, listening for the source of the sound, and slowly moved one hand to one of her swords, sitting in its sheath. The buzzing grew louder and louder, until suddenly something burst through the barrier. Youmu jumped back and drew her blade, eyeing this mysterious intruder suspiciously.

"Hey, hey, hey, whoa, whoa, whoa!" the intruder stammered. "I'm not here to fight you or anything!"

Youmu paused and took a moment to look at the figure floating in front of her. A short, blue-haired girl dressed in a blue dress covered in pockets and a green hat hovered in the air with the help of a whirring helicopter blade protruding from a backpack almost as large as she was.

Youmu sheathed her sword and cocked an eyebrow. "A kappa...?"

The kappa touched down on the ground and her helicopter retracted into her backpack. "I'm Nitori Kawashiro, and I'm only here because- hold on, just one second..." She rifled around one of her many pockets. "I'm here because of... this!" she continued, pulling out a small metal baton adorned with a button and various other mechanical bits.

Youmu hesitated. "I-I'm sorry, we're not really looking to buy anything..."

"Ah! No! Wait! I'm not trying to sell this, it's just... here, maybe if I showed you..." Nitori pressed the button on the baton, and a beam of green light extended out of one end of it. The kappa started talking quickly. "So basically I was trying to make a laser knife but I messed up some numbers and made it too big and it ended up more like a sword so I tried to use it in some spell cards but none of them were turning out right and I realized that the problem was that I had no freakin' clue how to use a sword and I heard you were a swordfighting instructor so..." She finally took a deep breath and slowed down a bit. "Please teach me to use a sword?"

Youmu stared at Nitori and the laser sword in silence for a moment, then she spoke. "I-I'll do my best... Just follow me to Hakugyokurou, okay? Oh, and I should probably tell my master..."

"Yes yes yes! Thank you so much!" Nitori exclaimed as the two began their walk towards the ghost shrine.

"Master Yuyuko?" Youmu called into the main room of Hakugyokurou.

"Ah, Youmu dear? Did you finish sweeping the front path?" Yuyuko answered. "You know the cherry blossom viewing is tomorrow and we have to be prepared..."

"Yes I did. Anyway." Youmu gestured towards the kappa at her side. "This is Nitori. She wants to learn the way of the sword, so I was going to give her a basic lesson in the dojo."

Yuyuko looked at the two girls and smiled. "Oh, Youmu! It's rare you have friends over. Since you finished your morning task, I won't bother you. Let me know if you two need anything." Yuyuko thought a moment. "Or maybe don't. I might be napping. It's nice to meet you, Nitori, by the way," she added.

"A pleasure, ma'am," Nitori responded with a bow.

"Thank you, Master," Youmu replied, and the half-phantom and the kappa walked off towards the dojo in the back of the shrine.

Youmu slid open the shutter to the dojo, then turned to Nitori with a serious expression on her face. "Hand me your blade."

"H-huh?" Nitori stammered.

"I need to see how much it weighs and how long it is so you can be provided an adequate practice blade." Youmu continued.

"Oh, right, yeah. Uh, let's see..." Nitori pulled out her sword and pressed the button to activate the laser blade. "The blade part is hot to the touch, so be careful..." she added, handing over the sword to Youmu, who took the sword in one hand. She lifted it up and down a few times, turned it over, then carried it over to a closet and opened it up, revealing a vast array of wooden swords.

Nitori watched Youmu search through the practice blades with almost mechanical efficiency, comparing weight and length with barely a single motion. After about thirty seconds of rifling through the closet, Youmu settled on a wooden blade that matched Nitori's laser sword, then grabbed the one that she uses to practice her own techniques with her Roukanken.

She strode quickly back across the room and offered the wooden sword and the laser sword to Nitori. "The weight distribution will be very slightly off, since whatever magic you're using for your blade has very little weight, but this is closest that I could find, and it should be fine for training purposes."

Nitori took the two swords and deactivated the laser sword's blade. "Actually, it's not magic," she said confidently. "It's interesting, actually. What this really is is a concentrated-"

"Doesn't matter," Youmu interrupted, looking into Nitori's eyes with icy focus. The kappa nearly jumped at the sudden interruption, as well as the seriousness in the voice of the previously somewhat timid gardener. "Now, the first thing that's going to happen," Youmu continued, "is that I'm going to teach you the most important rule of swordsmanship. Ready your blade and face me. Attempt to land a blow on me."

Nitori did a double take. "H-huh? Right away? Before..."

"Technique will come next. Right now, take whatever stance feels comfortable for you and strike."

Nitori looked into Youmu's eyes. All of the hesitation the half-phantom showed when Nitori first met her had vanished. All that remained was a cold focus; the eyes of a warrior. Nitori gulped.

She slid her feet apart a bit, then lifted her blade and attempted a tentative swing.

"Haaaaa- OOF!"

It took the kappa a few seconds to even register what had happened. In the blink of an eye, Youmu had jabbed Nitori in the chest with her blade, sending her stumbling back.

Youmu stepped back to her initial stance. "If this were a real fight, you would be dead."

"Wh-wha-"

"Let me continue. I do this not to humiliate you, but to impose this fundamental truth into your mind. Swords are tools of death. When utilizing one, you are fighting to kill, and fighting to live. This is the truth of the blade. Death surrounds you at all moments. You must respect it, but you absolutely cannot fear it. Your techniques must be efficient, striking to end a life while not leaving your own vulnerable. Now, that said..." Youmu gestured to one side. "If you could step over that way a little bit... yes, that's good..."

Nitori stood silently, slightly confused, until she noticed that Youmu was glowing with magic power, sword at the ready. Nitori could feel the energy being drawn to the sword.

Suddenly, Youmu swung. A massive wave of magical energy flew across the room, striking the wall and shaking the building a bit with the impact. Behind it, a trail of energy bullets appeared, spreading and flying in different directions before dissipating a short distance from their origin. Nitori's jaw dropped.

Youmu stood up straight. "When it comes to danmaku, beauty is power. Flashy techniques that would have no place in a standard duel can become important parts of your arsenal. You must find a balance between the skill of the human and the magic of the youkai to properly utilize your weapon. Do you understand?"

Nitori didn't say anything, still standing there slack-jawed.

"Do you understand, Nitori?" Youmu repeated.

"That... was... AWESOME!" Nitori yelled, her eyes glowing. "Sure, I'd heard about your skill, but I never thought you would be this amazing! Everything you did was just so cool!"

Youmu staggered back, her face very slightly red. "H-huh? Well... I... th-thank you..." she stuttered.

"I'm really looking forward to training under you. If I can do something even one tenth that amazing, I'll-"

"Now!" Youmu said firmly. The stone-cold focus had returned to her eyes. "We can truly begin your first lesson."

"A-ah, yes, master!" Nitori gave a small bow.

"First, your stance. There are a number of different stances you can take, with different advantages. Let me demonstrate a few..."

With that, the lesson began in earnest.


	2. Chapter 2

Over the course of the next hour or so, Youmu taught Nitori a number of basics of the blade, including possible stances, basic slashes, and the thought processes behind positioning and defense. Youmu's instruction was firm, yet patient; a fine balance between discipline and understanding. Nitori, in turn, was a quick learner, understanding concepts and ideas even if it took her body a bit to catch up.

At one point, Nitori was having trouble moving her body with her arms for a specific slash, so Youmu took the time to guide her shoulders herself. Nitori noticed that Youmu's hands were colder than most people's, as well as slightly calloused.

Another time, Nitori asked a question about the reason behind the use of a specific stance so Youmu explained some of the stance's history in combat. Youmu saw Nitori's eyes light up as she watched with rapt attention, legitimately interested in learning all she could.

After a while, Nitori found herself sore. She informed Youmu of this, who responded "You've done a lot for your first lesson. We can stop here."

"Whew, thanks." Nitori walked to her backpack, sitting neglected against the wall, and pulled a bottle of water out of a pocket, taking a big swallow.

"Would you like some tea?" Youmu suddenly said, brightly.

"Huh?" Nitori glanced towards her. "Oh, uh, you don't have to trouble yourself for me."

"It wouldn't be any trouble. I always offer tea to our guests." Youmu shuffled on her feet a bit. "If you need to leave now, though, I understand."

"Oh, no, nothing like that. I just wasn't sure if I was asking too much after the lesson, but if you're okay with it, then I'd love some," Nitori responded as she put away her water bottle and picked up her backpack.

"Good!" Youmu clapped her hands together and smiled. The kappa and the half-phantom walked together back to Hakugyokurou's main room.

Youmu slid open the shutter to the large room and gestured towards the kotatsu. "Please have a seat. I'll have tea ready in a few minutes."

Nitori knelt next to the table and took some deep breaths. She was still exhausted from the lesson. She remembered the techniques, though, and was already coming up with new spell ideas based on what she learned.

Nitori was so focused on her own thoughts that she didn't notice the light-blue-clad ghost enter the room until she dropped down and knelt on the adjacent side of the kotatsu, which made Nitori jump.

"Oh, hello!" Yuyuko said cheerfully. "Nitori, right? Did you and Youmu have fun playing together?"

Caught off-guard, Nitori attempted a response. "Well, uh, we, it's not like-"

"We weren't _playing_, Master Yuyuko, I was giving her some swordsmanship instruction," Youmu interrupted, carrying in a tray with three mugs of tea and setting it on the kotatsu before sitting down herself.

"Ah, of course! I remember when you used to teach me, too. Perhaps I should get back to that. How long has it been since our last lesson, Youmu dear? Two months? Three?"

"It's been thirty-seven years, Master Yuyuko," Youmu replied, her expression and tone not changing.

"Right, right," Yuyuko replied, waving a paper fan dismissively. ("Does that say 'MEAT' on it?" Nitori thought.) "Anyway, Youmu, I talked to Yukari and she said she'd be bringing drinks to tomorrow's party, so you only need to handle food this year." She turned to Nitori. "Oh, I had a wonderful idea! Since you're so close with my dear Youmu, why don't you come to our party tomorrow? The cherry blossoms here are second to none, after all, and I'm sure she'd appreciate the company!"

Youmu shrunk down a bit. "Master Yuyuko, that's, um..." She took a deep breath, then looked at Nitori. "I mean, I'd be happy for you to come, if you wanted, b-but on such short notice, you probably already have plans..."

Nitori blinked. "O-Oh, no, I'm not busy. If you'll have me then I'd love to," she said tentatively.

"Wonderful! We look forward to having you." Yuyuko grabbed her tea and stood up. "I have some reading I want to catch up on, so I'll be taking this back to my chamber. Excellent tea, by the way, Youmu dear."

"Thank you, Master Yuyuko," said Youmu, dipping her head in a slight bow.

Yuyuko walked off and slid open the door to another section of Hakugyokurou, but then stopped and turned around. "You know, you two are cute together," she said happily.

"Wh-what!?" Nitori and Youmu gasped, almost in unison.

"Toodles!" Yuyuko said, shutting the sliding door behind her.

The two sat steaming in their own embarrassment for what seemed like forever, avoiding each others' gaze. Eventually, after another sip of tea, Youmu spoke up. "I do love Master Yuyuko, but she's always teasing me like that... try not to pay it any mind."

"R-right," Nitori responded, still not looking up.

Another minute of silence passed, the two quietly attempting to enjoy their drinks. Youmu was once again the one to try to break the atmosphere.

"So, uh, you said something earlier about your sword not actually being magic... how does it work, anyway?"

Immediately, Nitori's eyes lit up. "Well, now THAT'S an interesting story. Recently I started finding these clear crystals around the Untrodden Valley that bend light that passes through them. The weird part is that the light coming out was warmer than the light that went in! A kappa can never pass up a scientific opportunity like that, so I gathered up a bunch and started experimenting. It turns out, that by shining light at very specific angles, I could create a beam of light so hot that it could cut through things, yet so focused that the heat wouldn't spread beyond the beam at all! Considering how we're always running out of metal in the valley, having a cutting tool like this would be a breakthrough! Now, actually figuring out those angles was another story. The calculations started like this..."

The kappa continued her excited explanation of her scientific process. Youmu found herself starting to get lost in the numbers and principles she didn't understand, but Nitori's enthusiasm was infectious, and just listening to her happily gushing about her work filled Youmu's heart with warmth.

"...and apart from my screwed-up calculation on the size of the blade, everything went perfectly!" Nitori finished. "Heh heh heh. Not to toot my own horn too much, but sometimes I think I really am a genius."

Youmu finished off her tea. "That is pretty amazing. You make it sound like you can do anything with science."

"That's because you can!" Nitori exclaimed. She thought a moment and leaned back. "Well, maybe not. All the experiments in the world couldn't teach me to handle a sword like you can. If you ask me, that's something really amazing."

"O-oh! Thanks!" Youmu stuttered, surprised. She was confident in her ability with her blades, but she wasn't used to getting praised for it. The half-phantom felt her normally cool face get just a little bit warmer.

Nitori drank the last of her tea. "Ah, that was delicious." She frowned a little. "Hmm, I should probably be getting back to the valley. When should I come over for the flower-viewing?"

"Oh, you can stop by anytime in the afternoon. It's mostly phantoms that show up anyway, along with a few ghosts and spirits, and Master Yuyuko's friend. I look forward to seeing you!" Youmu replied.

"Same. Thanks for the hospitality, Youmu. See you tomorrow!"

With that, Nitori put on her oversized backpack, walked outside, and flew off towards the barrier between the Netherworld and Gensokyo. Youmu watched her leave, the warm feeling in her chest from earlier remaining.


	3. Chapter 3

When a large amount of kappas gathered, it was usually with purpose. Maybe a bunch of them found an interest in a big project, or they were working together to sell something. It was a goal-oriented meeting, with said goal frequently being easily summarized as "get paid." And so when Nitori Kawashiro, undoubtedly a kappa's kappa, found herself at a flower-viewing party with no booth, no cash box, and no purpose other than "socialize," it was almost inevitable that she'd find herself pretty lost.

Ever the observant one, Nitori looked around once again, taking stock of the situation. A number of phantoms and spirits floated around, but they didn't seem much for conversation. Yuyuko sat talking and laughing with the powerful sage, Yukari Yakumo, who was flanked by her imposing shikigami. The group was also accompanied by a green-haired ghost with a strange blue hat that Nitori didn't recognize. Definitely too intimidating a situation for Nitori at the moment.

She was mentally preparing to turn tail and escape when she saw Youmu standing by herself at the edge of the stone path of the shrine. Nitori briefly pondered whether making a beeline for her would come off as strange, but ultimately her desire to do anything other than stand awkwardly by herself won out, and Nitori trotted on over to meet her.

"Yo!" Nitori said, giving a little wave.

"Oh, hi Nitori! I'm glad you came!" Youmu said, giving an earnest smile. Nitori had come to like Youmu's smile; there were no hidden meanings or agendas behind it, nothing she had to try and figure out.

"Y-yeah." Nitori took a second to figure out where to go next. She eventually tried something simple. "The cherry blossoms are really gorgeous."

Youmu nodded, still smiling. "Mhm! There's nothing quite like the flower viewings at Hakugyokurou."

"I dunno, the ones at my shrine are pretty impressive," a voice from behind Nitori said. Nitori turned around and was greeted by Reimu Hakurei, flanked by Marisa Kirisame.

"I dunno, Reimu, I think I gotta give this one to the Netherworld," Marisa said, nudging Reimu a bit.

"Wh- you were supposed to be on my side!" Reimu pouted.

"Hey, I'm on the side of whoever's serving the drinks!" Marisa laughed. "Nice to see ya again, Youmu. And Nitori - don't usually see you hanging out at places like this!"

Nitori gave an awkward smile. "Yeah, uh, well, Youmu invited me, and... uh..."

"I've been giving her sword lessons," Youmu finished.

Marisa's eyes widened. "Whoa, Nitori! You're really powering up, huh? Hey, once you make some new spell cards out of this stuff, we should duel! Unless, of course, you think that even with your technology and your new sword skills, you still can't stand up to the ol' Master Spark..."

Nitori smirked. "You're on! Just you watch, Marisa; in a few weeks' time, this kappa will blow your mind!"

Marisa smirked back. "I'll be waiting for ya!"

Reimu tugged at Marisa's sleeve. "Come on, Marisa, I gotta go tell Yukari she's annoying."

"Alright, alright," Marisa answered. "Oh look, Lady Mima is here! I should go complain at her for not visiting!"

"Yeah, and I should go _thank_ her for not visiting," Reimu chuckled.

"Aw, what do you have against Mima?"

"You mean _besides_ the time she trashed my shrine and tried to take over Gensokyo?"

"I mean, come on, I helped her with that, and look at us now!" At that, Marisa put an arm around Reimu.

"Yeah, well, she's not cute like you," Reimu shot back.

A slight blush landed on Marisa's cheeks. "Of course, of course," she said. "Anyway, thanks for having us, Youmu!"

"You're always welcome, my friends!" Youmu replied cheerily. "Ah, I have to bring out some food. I'll be back in a bit, Nitori."

"Huh? Oh, okay." And just like that, Nitori was alone again.

Returning to observation mode, Nitori started to plan her next move. She looked at the group that was talking. Marisa was her friend, right? Reimu, too; despite how she acted sometimes, she was everyone's friend. Yuyuko seemed nice enough from the few times Nitori met her, but Yukari was still really intimidating, and that other ghost, likely this "Mima" Reimu and Marisa talked about, seemed like someone that would be tough to talk to.

Nitori ran through a bunch of imaginary conversations in her head, and somehow they all ended with her embarrassing herself and the others laughing at her, or worse, politely ignoring her. She shook a little, still not moving from her spot. Eventually, one thought replaced all others in her head, a repeating signal of t_his was a mistake_.

"Nitori? Are you okay?"

"WAH!" Nitori nearly jumped into the air, startled. Youmu stood in front of her, holding a tray of hors d'oeuvres and drinks.

"WAH!" exclaimed Youmu, stumbling a little and nearly dropping the tray. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you!"

"No, no, it's okay, I just... zoned out a little," Nitori explained, looking down.

"Hey, I'll be right back, okay? I just have to serve this, and then we can talk a little, if you want." Youmu gave a patient smile.

"Oh... yeah, sure." Nitori mumbled.

True to her word, after serving some food and drinks to the other group, Youmu returned right to Nitori. "Let's sit down," Youmu said, kneeling down on the side of the path. Nitori took a seat next to her, not quite facing her.

The two sat in silence for a few minutes, Youmu quietly sipping some tea. Eventually, Nitori took a breath and started talking.

"Sorry I've been such a downer. This party's great, I'm just..." she trailed off.

Youmu shook her head. "No need to apologize, Nitori." "She leaned back a bit. "You know, I always prefer helping throw these kinds of parties than being a guest at someone else's. Not that other people don't hold wonderful events, but it's just much easier for me to handle when I have something to do. I always get nervous when I have to just interact."

Nitori looked at her. "I never would've guessed, honestly. I'm the same way, though; it's why you'll rarely see me at a festival or party unless I have something to sell. Then it's easy, and I'm confident because my work is always excellent, if I do say so myself."

"Yeah, I get you." Youmu turned towards Nitori. "I'm sorry if you felt pressured to show up to something you're uncomfortable with."

"What? Oh, thanks, but despite all this I did really want to come. I do want to socialize more, I'm just... not so good at it. Plus..." Nitori trailed off again.

Youmu tilted her head a bit. "Plus what?"

Nitori looked away and scratched behind her head. Too late to turn back now. "Plus I figured it would be fun to see you again?"

Youmu smiled. "I'm glad you think so!" Suddenly her smile vanished, replaced with a pensive look. "Hey, I have an idea that might be fun."  
"What's that?"

Youmu smiled. "Why don't we sneak off to the dojo and I show you some more sword techniques?"

Nitori's eyes lit up. "You mean it? Would that be okay?"  
Youmu turned towards the group from earlier. Mima was flying around in circles, chasing some phantoms, Reimu was chasing her, swinging her gohei wildly, and Marisa, Yuyuko, and Yukari were sitting back and laughing at the whole scene, enjoying their drinks. "Yeah, we'll be fine," Youmu said.

The two got up and quietly walked off to Hakugyokurou's dojo, leaving the spring scene behind for the moment.


	4. Chapter 4

"We're sparring today."

"Huh?"

Upon entering the dojo, Youmu made a beeline for the closet that held the wooden practice swords, grabbing the ones she set aside previously for herself and Nitori. As she handed Nitori her sword, Youmu elaborated. "We're going to start off today with a sparring match. First to either disarm the opponent or land the equivalent of a lethal blow wins."

Nitori scratched behind her head. "Isn't it a little early for me to be facing you?" she asked nervously.

Youmu shook her head. "It's important to gain as much actual battle experience as possible throughout your training. You picked up yesterday's techniques quickly, so you're ready for our first match. Now, take your stance."

Nitori gulped, her nerves causing her to shudder a bit as she readied her sword. Just as quickly as they came up, though, they subsided, as Nitori felt her body slip into the stance she had practiced. Remembering the first lesson from the previous day, she didn't immediately attack, instead looking at Youmu and minding the distance between them.

The room was silent, to the point where all Nitori could hear was her own breathing. She focused, then performed a quick forward stab. Quickly, Youmu moved her own blade up, deflecting the strike and pushing Nitori back slightly. Youmu followed up with a slice at body height, but almost without thinking Nitori was able to react and move her blade to block, the two swords clashing with a wooden clack. Rather than attempting a counterattack of her own, Nitori returned to her stance, watching Youmu and anticipating her next move. The silence returned. The two looked at each other, focusing intently.

This time, Youmu broke the calm. She took a horizontal swing at Nitori's head. Nitori ducked, her short stature making it easier for her to get below the blade. At this opening, she rose and swung her sword in an upward arc, but Youmu followed her slash with a diagonal downward motion, blocking the swing. She stopped after that, taking her stance and returning the silence.

The two continued like this for a few minutes, with periods of quiet focus punctuated with short, intense back-and-forth sequences. On their fifth exchange, though, Nitori attempted to strike with an overhead swing after blocking one of Youmu's stabs. Youmu suddenly swung her sword upwards, slamming into Nitori's blade and sending it flying out of her hands. The two froze, and the only sound in the dojo was the wooden sword clattering to the floor a second later.

Nitori eventually ended the silence. "I guess that's that, huh? Wow."

Youmu stood up straight. "Indeed. You did excellently."

Nitori did a double take. "I-I did? But I lost."

"Of course you did."

Nitori blinked. "Huh?"

Youmu shook her head. "That's not me bragging. I have many, many years of experience, and this was your first proper duel. It would be unthinkable for you to win at this point in your training. I had no expectation that it could go any other way. This is not to dismiss your efforts; it is simply the reality of your current level."

Nitori continued to look confused. "So then... why bother to even fight me?"

"As I said, combat experience is crucial. In a safe, training setting, even losses are a learning experience. Not only that, but it is also an important way for me to assess your progress. So yes, you lost, and you did excellently. Those are not mutually exclusive."

Nitori's expression became more thoughtful. "I... I think I get it."

"However," Youmu went on, "as I stated yesterday, real sword fights are lethal endeavors. Even if you are learning from your losses, you must always fight as if victory is the only option. Show respect to the blade, first and foremost. That is the contradiction of sparring."

Nitori nodded.

Youmu put her sword back in the closet, then turned towards Nitori, her expression suddenly a kind smile. "So? Feeling any better?"  
"Huh? Oh, yeah, I think so." Nitori handed her sword to Youmu, who put it back in the closet.

"So what now? You feel like going back to the party?" Youmu asked.

"Hmm..." Nitori sat down on the floor. "In a few minutes, I think. Do you think maybe we could just, y'know, talk?"

"Oh, sure!" Youmu sat on the floor a few feet across from Nitori.

Nitori smoothed her skirt out a bit. "You know, you're pretty different when you're holding a sword."

"O-oh! Yeah..." Youmu averted her eyes from Nitori's. "I've always been more... serious when I've done that. Sorry if it's weird..."

"N-no! That's not what I meant at all! I brought it up because, well, I'm glad someone else is like that too. Like I said earlier, when I'm making things or selling things, I can be way more confident. It just feels like... that's when I can be the expert, and I don't have to worry about getting anything wrong."

"Yeah that's exactly it!" Youmu responded, excitedly. "When I'm in my element, I've got nothing to fear. I don't have to worry about embarrassing myself, because my blades have never failed me. After all, the things that cannot be cut by my Roukanken, forged by youkai, are close to none!" she went on, clenching her fist determinedly at the last bit. Nitori chuckled a bit at this, causing Youmu to blush. "I mean, uh-"

"No, I loved it. That's the exact kind of feeling I get when I'm building something new." Nitori smiled at her. "It's just funny how we can feel so similarly about such different things, I guess."

Youmu beamed at Nitori. "Yeah, it's nice to have someone who understands." She took a breath. "I'm really glad you started coming by. Thank you, Nitori."

At the sound of this heartfelt thanks and Youmu's earnest, kind smile, gears started turning in Nitori's head, which eventually rang an alarm bell in her mind, signaling the arrival of Confusing Feelings O'Clock. Feeling her heart beating faster and her face heating up, Nitori suddenly stood up. "Hey, uh, I think I'm ready to go back to the party now!" she said quickly.

"Is everything okay?"  
"Yeah! Great even! Let's go, they're probably wondering where we are by now!" Nitori zipped out of the dojo as Youmu stood up, confused.

Nitori trotted across the shrine's path to where the group from earlier was hanging around. It seemed that Reimu had managed to wrangle the green-haired ghost for the time being, as she had settled down into a more normal form of conversation.

"Hey guys! Sorry about that, I was feeling a bit... sick. Youmu had something that helped me out, though." Nitori shuffled her feet a bit. "So what's up?"

"Oh, isn't this a lovely surprise. You must be a kappa... I assume from Youkai Mountain, right?" the ghost ("Mima," Nitori remembered) asked.

"...Yes?"

"It's certainly wonderful to see my subjects thriving. You see, a long time ago, I was actually the god of Youkai Mountain, above the kappa, the tengu, and even the oni. Though I eventually moved on, those who have been around for a long time still fear my power." Mima said, punctuating her remark with a threatening chuckle.

"W-wow, that's, um..." Nitori stammered, her legs shaking a bit.

"Oh, I suppose you two haven't been introduced yet," Reimu butted in. "This is Mima, an annoying ghost whose favorite pastime is telling gigantic lies about just about everything."

Mima sighed. "Must you ruin my fun?"

"It's literally, actually my job." Reimu deadpanned.

"Aw, give Lady Mima a break. We don't get to see her much anymore, y'know," Marisa said.

"Whoa... 'Lady' Mima?" Nitori said, flabbergasted.

"Yup! She taught me magic after I left home and she's basically the best!" Marisa beamed.

"Best at being a pain in my ass, maybe..." Reimu muttered.

"I've never seen Marisa talk to anyone that way... I guess you learn something new every day, huh?" Nitori said.

"Another drink, anyone?"

Youmu rejoined the party with a tray of sake.

"Don't mind if I do," smiled Marisa, taking a cup. "How about you, Reimu?"

"Sure," she said, letting Marisa hand her a drink.

Youmu went around the group, offering everyone theirs, but Nitori shook her head when Youmu got to her. "Ah, uh, n-no thanks," Nitori said, stepping away from Youmu a bit.

"Hey, Nitori, what's the deal? I've seen ya before, you can usually throw back drinks almost as hard as a tengu! Still feeling sick?"

"Oh, um, well," Nitori stammered, "I don't usually fly up this far, and I'd rather be sober to get home safely."

Marisa shrugged. "Suit yourself."

Suddenly, a strange hole appeared on the tray, and a hand reached out and grabbed the drink closest to Nitori, pulling it through the hole. "How generous of you to offer," Yukari smiled, now holding the drink.

"Somehow, I never get tired of that," Yuyuko chuckled.

The conversation between the group continued for a good while as they shared anecdotes about this and that, reminiscing about times gone. After a little bit, though, Nitori spoke up.

"Hey, I uh... I gotta get going. It's a long trip after all. I had fun though!" She turned to Youmu. "Hey, uh, thanks for hosting this and helping me out earlier. It... it means a lot."

Youmu smiled. "No problem. I'm glad you came!"  
Nitori blushed a little. "Y-yeah, me too. See you guys later." She spun up her helicopter pack and flew over the gate to head home.

Youmu watched her leave. "I hope she's going to be okay..."

Reimu threw back the rest of her sake with gusto before answering. "I'm sure she's fine, she's just dealing with that massive crush she has on you."

Youmu nearly jumped. "Wh-what???"

"Reimu, ya can't just say stuff like that, y'know? You'll make it all awkward n'stuff," Marisa said, draping an arm over Reimu's shoulders.

"What do you mean? It's obvious. You all saw it too, right?" Reimu replied indignantly.

"D-do you really think so?" Youmu looked around, blushing. Her eyes met the faces of everyone else, who were giving looks that said that yes, it was indeed obvious. She looked down.

"Ah, don't worry about it, Yooms. Have a drink and chill a bit. We're at a party, you can worry about the tough stuff later," Marisa smiled.

"R-right..." Youmu said, sipping some sake of her own.

The Netherworld's sakura viewing party continued for a few more hours, leaving Youmu to put aside her thoughts on this new revelation and enjoy the company of her friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you're curious, generally I just kinda treat the PC-98 stuff as "shit that happened a while ago." I kinda figure Mima would hang around and make a minor nuisance of herself every now and then.


	5. Chapter 5

The spring sun shone over the Hakurei shrine. It had been three weeks since the netherworld's party, and nearly a month since spring made its presence known. The cherry blossom petals had long since been swept away from the shrine's path. On that afternoon, the shrine maiden and the magician were enjoying the warmer weather and discussing the finer things in life.

"Okay, so wait til I tell ya this one: THREE Master Sparks."

"You know you don't have the energy to pull that off without making them way narrower, and once you do that aren't you just making Non-Directional Laser again?"

Marisa looked at Reimu like she had grown another head. "It's... it's three Master Sparks. That's one more."

"Marisa, I'm telling you, it's not going to work the way you imagine it-"

"Three is more than two, Reimu, do you not know how to count?"

"What, no, I know how to count, it's just-"

"MASTER SPARK IS ONE, DOUBLE SPARK IS TWO, THIS ONE IS THREE!"

"WHY ARE YOU YELLING!"

"WHY ARE _YOU_ YELLING!"

The two looked at each other for a second, suddenly silent, and then collapsed on the front step of the shrine in a fit of raucous laughter. As they sat up and caught their breath, Reimu noticed a blue figure in the sky.

"Hey, isn't that... Nitori?"

Reimu was correct in her observation, and the kappa landed in front of the two, her personal helicopter blade retreating into her backpack. "Hey guys!" Nitori said, dusting off her skirt.

"Hey, Nitori," Marisa said with a grin. "What's up?"

Nitori showed a devilish smile. "Oh, I think you know... if you're not scared, that is."

"Huh? Wh-" Marisa stopped herself and smiled harder as realization dawned. "Oh, you're ready for that showdown, huh? I've been itching to see what you'd come up with after all that sword training!" She stood up and grabbed her broom. "Let's head to the sky above the forest!"

"You're on!" Nitori replied. "This sword is something else!" she added, starting up her helicopter said.

"Wait," Reimu said. The other two looked at her, and Reimu continued. "Do it here."

"Huh?" Marisa raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

Reimu leaned back on the ground. "I'm bored. I wanna watch." She pointed a finger at Marisa. "If you blast the shrine again, though, you're gonna be on the hook for the repairs."

Marisa gave a mischievous grin. "Aw, come on, have I ever missed my mark before?"

"Regularly and catastrophically," Reimu answered, not missing a beat.

Marisa stuck her tongue out at Reimu, before mounting her broom, kicking off the ground, and taking to the air above the run-down shrine. "You ready to make this happen, Nitori?"

"Hell yeah!" Nitori flew into the air and squared off some meters away from Marisa. "Let's do this!"

In an instant, the sky was filled with the multicolored lights of an intense danmaku duel. Kappa and witch soared and dived, dodging magical blasts that scattered every which way. Quickly, though, Marisa realized Nitori was fighting quite differently than she usually did. Rather than standing back and firing lots of shots from a safe distance, Nitori was slicing through the air at high speeds with her sword, leaving trails of bullets that traveled quickly at aggressive angles.

"Damn, Nitori, Youmu really taught you to go in! Nice to see some new moves out of ya!" Marisa yelled, holding onto her hat as another slice nearly grazed her.

"Heh, you ain't seen nothing yet," Nitori shouted back, smiling. "Check THIS out! _Water Sign - Kappa Slash Flood!_" Irregular waves of blue orbs flew out from behind Nitori, turning the battle area into a dense maze.

"Aw, come on. This is the same old Nitori!" Marisa said, easily weaving through the pattern. Then she started thinking: _Wait, did she say "Flash Flood" or-_

"HIYAAAAH!" Nitori sliced through her bullets and Marisa's thoughts in a single motion, sending a series of red shots right at Marisa. Just in time, Marisa dove downwards, as Nitori's sword very nearly necessitated a costly repair to the large black hat on Marisa's head.

"Impressive move!" Marisa said, dodging and firing magical blasts back at Nitori. "But nothing I can't handle! Now, let's see if your new moves stand up to the classics. _Magic Sign - Stardust Reverie!_"

Layered spirals of rainbow stars emanated from Marisa, moving inwards and outwards.

For a split second Nitori started to panic, but then, remembering her training, she took a deep breath and focused. She stayed mostly still, calmly assessing the dazzling array of stars surrounding her, then made quick, precise movements through the small gaps. Each movement not only helped her avoid more shots, but also got her a tiny bit closer to Marisa. Finally, after her slow progress added up, Nitori struck: a single swing of her blade sent Marisa spiraling backwards, and the stars vanished.

"Holy crap, Nitori, you're fighting like a brand-new kappa! Never seen someone take the fight to me during that spell before!"

"Oh yeah, I'm on a roll now. Now I'll show you something really special! _Kappa - DJ Cucumber Slice!_"

Nitori raised her arms, and an array of green lasers fanned out across the sky. Marisa had seen this pattern too, but she knew there had to be a twist, so she stayed carefully. Sure enough, Nitori pulled out her sword and unleashed a fury of slashes, slicing her lasers into pieces that spun through the air in all directions. Marisa put on a valiant attempt to dodge this new spell, but she ended up losing track of one of the spinning laser shards, which smacked her in the face, nearly knocking her off her broom.

"Haha, yes! I'm a brand-new kappa! Take that!" Nitori shouted, pumping her fist as her spell dissolved.

Marisa steadied herself on her broom and fixed her hat. "Oof... that was pretty nasty. But you're not the only one with some new spells. Dig this! _Love's Light - Earthlight Spark!_" With this, Marisa wound up her arm, then threw a single solitary magical blast with all her might.

Nitori watched the blast soar over her head, hitting the ground some distance below and behind her. "Nice airball, Marisa," she smirked.

Marisa smirked back. "Wait for it."

Nitori became aware of a growing rumbling sound. Sensing danger, she dove to the side, just as a massive rainbow laser spewed from the ground. It narrowly missed her, but star-shaped bullets came from the sides of it, and Marisa had starting firing some herself as well. Her dodges were quick, but eventually she sidestepped a star only to dive back into the laser, sending her hurtling into the sky.

Marisa snapped her fingers, dissolving the spell. A few seconds later, Nitori flew back down, covered in burn marks.

"Gotta hand it to you, Nitori, those were some impressive new moves. But they weren't enough to beat me. Not surprising, really."

Nitori did a double take. "Wait, what? I totally won! You absolutely ate shit to DJ Cucumber Slice!"

"You kidding me? You barely nicked me with that. You took that Earthlight Spark head-on, though. That makes it my win!"

"Like hell it does!"

The two continued to argue, so caught up in their verbal skirmish that they didn't notice the big yin-yang pattern orbs appearing above them. At least, not until one bonked each one of them on the head, sending magician and kappa alike hurtling to the ground.

As the two got their bearings, Reimu walked up to them. "It was a tie, you dweebs. I watched the whole thing. Now come inside and have some tea instead of making so much noise."

Reimu, Marisa, and Nitori sat in Reimu's house and sipped tea, and after the adrenaline from the fight left the latter two's bodies, they began to talk again.

"So, Nitori," Marisa began, "How are things going with Youmu?"

Nitori smirked. "I think you already saw how my training paid off when you tried Stardust Reverie on me."

Marisa scratched behind her head. "No, I didn't mean your training, I meant, uh..." She trailed off, leaving Nitori to look at her, confused.

"Meant what?"

"Well, like, um..."

"She's asking if you've asked her out yet! Sheesh," Reimu blurted out. She turned to Marisa. "You're lucky I'm here to translate your vague nonsense about this stuff. It's not that hard. Hey, Nitori, your face is looking a little red."

"I- uh- well-" Nitori began to stammer.

Marisa gave Reimu a light smack to the back of the head. "C'mon, Reimu, you gotta be a little careful with this stuff!"

Reimu rolled her eyes. "Everyone says that, and then they end up freaking out about it and going in circles for weeks and making everything so hard. I don't see why people can't just tell people about how they feel without making a whole big thing about it. I mean, it worked for me, didn't it?" she added, winking at Marisa.

Marisa blushed a little. "Yeah, well, not everyone's you, Reimu." She turned towards Nitori. "Besides, none of us even asked you if you like her that way, Nitori."  
Nitori gulped. "Well, I do..." she said.

"It was obvious!" Reimu added.

"Well, yeah, but you still gotta be polite. Let her talk about it," Marisa replied.

Nitori took a breath. "As long as we're on the subject... yeah, I think I could use some advice. I do really like her."

Marisa smiled. "Well, they don't call me the Witch Of Love for nothing! Next time you visit her, ask her on a date! You guys are both welcome in the human village, right? Just get some lunch together. If you ain't ready, you don't have to call it a date, though."

Reimu chuckled. "Wow, that's surprisingly sensible advice, coming from you. I expected you to recommend she put on a magic fireworks show or some wild thing like that."

"And give away my tricks? Come on, you know only I could pull something like that off."

"You didn't pull it off at all! It blew up in your face!"

Marisa moved in and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Yeah, well, we ended up together, didn't we?"

Reimu laughed. "Only because of me, you dummy."

Nitori had checked out of their back-and-forth a bit ago, mulling over Marisa and Reimu's advice. Ask her on a date, then tell her how she feels... it sounded hard, but Nitori wasn't about to give up on things just because they were hard. "Alright!" she said suddenly, interrupting their conversation. "I know what I'm gonna do. Thanks, guys. I gotta head out, I got work to do."

With that, Nitori strolled out of the shrine and flew home, her brain formulating a plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wonder if I'm the first person to reference Bobbito Garcia in a Touhou fic


End file.
